"ASK KRISTAN"

[designpsychic]

Hi All,

Kristan gets lots of emails asking for design advice, show information, etc.. Please use this topic to ask any questions you may have and to discuss ideas with each other. We will do our best to answer your questions in a timely manner.

Thanks

[jaymore]

Hello Kristan and everyone,
I am in the middle of redecorating my rental as I just got new laminate floors and carpet installed.My landlord did not bother to recarpet the den which is paneled in birch and has a very 60'/70's vibe to it.It has really bad berber carpet and I can't afford to recarpet it right now as it's quiet a large room.What's a low cost solution to my design dilema?My home is furnished with vintage danish modern furniture and I love the mid-century danish style so I was thinking some kind of area and or throw rugs.Is there something that I can DIY?Thanks for your time.

Jason

[kristan]

Hi Jaymore,

The good news is, it sounds like you've actually got good problems- berber is far from the worst kind of carpet (I would put high pile hunter green at the top of the not workable list for a mid-century Danish room!), and it's low enough that you can throw a rug over it. A flokati would be great for your style, or a sheepskin- I get them for $139.00 at Costco in a 5 x 7- which I throw in the washing machine every few months. You can't put them in the dryer though- they have to air out- but for the price and the ability to clean them + the modern luxe feel, you can't beat 'em! I would also look into Flor carpet tiles, www.interfaceflor.com again, they're cleanable- because you can remove them individually- they're approximately 19"x19", tons of colors and textures, there's no minimum so you can buy as few or as many as you want and create a totally custom pattern AND you can even run them wall to wall cutting around any obstructions with a simple box cutter. So as a renter, it's a good installed look that's removable and take-with-you-when-you-leave able! We just did a Danish meets traditional room and used the "6 easy pieces" series in the blue/green color way. We covered roughly a 7' x 10' area for $200. Not bad eh'?
Now, for the paneling. Can you paint it? That would be my 1st choice. Even if you go with a good creamy white, it's fresh without looking dated and you still have the texture of the paneling. If you can't paint it- not the worst thing, since you're going mid-century anyhow. Instead, just dress the walls with really 50's/60's inspired things- metal wall art, even macrame'-ish things. Or, even better- staple vintage fabric around a large canvas or 2 to cover a bunch of wall space, and you my friend are in business!

[kathy p]

Kristan! can i ask a personal question??? i wouldn't ask, but, it's to prove my husband wrong. what is your age? i won't be offended if you don't want to answer
any plans to post info on your modern house? it sounds super cool!
thanks,
kathy p

[cindy]

Kathy, I was just curious; what are your guesses?

[kathy]

hi cindy---he thinks under 26 and i think 27 or over. i think she looks really young, but, she acts really mature and sophisticated. so, i can't really tell. i wouldn't be surprised if she was 20 or 30. maybe that's why it's so fun to watch her shows!

[juliette]

Hi Kristan! My husband returned from Iraq at the end of February and I must share with you that you and your show helped the time pass by fairly quickly. I experimented with color on the walls when I had always been a little fearful. He loves the many, many changes I made and, finally, the house is reflective of our personalities - lively and colorful. Hats off to your and your crew for the inspiration and confidence to just go for it!
I recently saw your wedding show - fantastic creativity! (as usual) which brings me to my question...your hair looked fantastic!!! I have tried to find some pictures that I might print out and take to my hairdresser, but to no avail. I don't know how my printer would respond to the various ones that pop up on this website that do show your most recent style. Do you have a suggestion? Maybe a spot where I can find a clear, stable photo that might be printable? Thanks for your time!

[kristan]

Hi Kathy,

The evil side of me wants to remain ageless, just to keep the suspense alive! I hate to prove the woman right here- I will be, drumroll please.........................30 in January! Some days I feel 40 but 20 on most. I'm looking more forward to my 30th birthday than to any single one prior. Hope you had some money on this one, or a least a "honey-do" favor!

[kristan]

Hi Juliette,

I responded to much of your post in my new blog- which should be posted in the next day or two as I'm a slave to my webmaster! As for the hair: go to the photo gallery, choose the image you think is most hair fabulous!, using your mouse- right click on the picture, and choose save to desktop. Then open the jpeg file and print!

I feel silly, but this has been a weekly request- so I'm hoping this post will help alot of you out. I tell my stylist, Chris, about all of the emails- partly so that he'll continue to do an amazing job but mostly because he's an amazing guy and deserves the kudos! What I can tell you about the do is that it requires going in every 4 weeks and that Chris uses a razor every other visit. I blow dry it with an enormous roll brush- focusing a good amount of energy to the "bump" at the back of my head. I guess teasing was the approach to the "bump" back in the day, but I find a little hair spray and facing the dryer nozzle right at the roots under the roll brush does the trick without rat's nest results. Once it's dry, I flat iron the underneath or bottom half of it. I rarely take the iron to the top layers- makes it too flat and ironed looking. Believe it or not, I have naturally wavy hair AND it's super thin, so I use almost no product- applying anything wet or waxy brings the waves right back out. (Proof is in all of the rain footage of the Wedding Special!) I usually take what's left on my hands after doing lotion and perfume and rub them on the ends for some texture.

We don't have hair and make-up on the show- it's cable guys!- so chock the wavy frizzy days up to waking up late....

[kristan]

Kathy,

Forgot to mention in above post that the 5 issue series of DIY magazine's documentation of Scott and I's remodel is all on the press page.

[kristan]

"from an email to kristancunningham.com"

> Fortunately, faux brick (at least, not much of it)
> ever made it to
> Oklahoma. However, your idea may be the one true,
> pure, perfect
> solution to my entirely different problem I've been
> struggling with
> for my home. Applying aluminum toned laminate to MDF
> to cover an old
> backsplash as shown in the broadcast today of DOD
> Episode 810,
> "Modern Kitchen" was an "awesome" idea. I have two
> questions not
> addressed in the show. I hope you, or someone else
> there, can help me
> out.
>
> 1. Screws or rivets along the vertical seams of
> each section was
> the artistic touch that sold the look of real metal.
> Were they screws
> or rivets, and how were they applied?
>
> 2. Your metal illusion was furthered by, what
> appeared to be,
> black recessed gaps between the sections of
> backsplash. How was this
> effect achieved?
>
> I really enjoy your shows. You are the best!
>

Hi Bill,

I just love it when someone can use a project from the show as a great solution in their own home! Here's the skinny on making it work aesthetically:

-After pre drilling a starter hole through the laminate to keep it clean, I used regular hex head screws-with a washer behind them for visual weight- and since the laminate was backed with MDF I had something to bite into.
-The shadow lines were purely visual, to add a sense of depth- a long span of "stainless" could be awfully dull. Before mounting the panels, I painted the edges of them as well as the existing brick with a flat black paint. If I remember correctly, I only painted (after measuring) where the seams would be + a few inches in either direction.

Hope this helps and that your backsplash looks decades newer!

Best,

Kristan

[kristan]

"from an email to kristancunningham.com"

> Pretty much this e-mail is simply to
> compliment you on your achievements. I absolutely
> love your style and have found inspiration in your
> design. The bio on your website regarding the first
> time you asked your parents if you could redo your
> bedroom sounds very familiar. My mom is always
> telling me to “quit bringing junk home” from thrift
> stores.
> I have attached a photo of my bedroom in
> which I am sad to announce I am moving out of. My
> grandfather recently died and my family is moving
> into his old house in order to keep it in the
> family. The problem is not only that I am
> completely attached to my room but also that my new
> room has wood paneling on three walls. The paneling
> must stay and cannot be painted. I was wondering if
> you have any ideas.
> The picture I have attached says
> everything about my style that could be learned. I
> understand that you are a busy girl and I am not
> moving until September but I would love to hear
> from you.
> Thank you for your time.
>
> Sincerely Hollie
Hi Hollie,
Thank you so much for your email- it was the bright spot of my day while I was on vacation!
First of all- WOW- did you do the decoupaging of all of your furniture? If so- congrats! You did an amazing job! I feel your pain- because as you said, your current room is such a great representation of your style. You obviously love color and layering patterns- all things fabulous! So I guess we have to figure out how to still have all of the bright on top of the drab. Worry not, because there ARE solutions.
Jaymore sent a post with a similar problem to my message board, so some of my suggestions to him can carry over: Stretching (by stapling on the back) awesome colorful vintage fabric on premade canvas (which you can buy at Michael's on the cheap) is a great way to cover big portions of wall space.
For great impact, cover the bottom of the wall in canvases covered in a solid fabric and then 3/4 of the way up the wall switch to a pattern. Finish up the top with a solid again. Obviously, the amount of canvases needed to do this could add up so this should be used on a smaller wall. Then for the other 2 paneled walls- because we can paint one, right?!-if there are windows, double up curtains and extend the rod further out to each side of the window. Then you get color AND texture AND you fill up more paneled wall space!
I'd love to see photos of your new digs once you get settled in!

Best,

Kristan

[Kathy P]

THANK YOU KRISTAN! No money on the bet, just the installation of a 20 foot cable curtain rod in the livingroom

thanks for the magazine article about your house. we just finished year one of our house project. your journal sounds so familiar!

thanks for the inspiration, info and your sense of humor!

[jaymore]

Kirstan,
Thanks for the tips on my cedar den. My partner and I decided to leave the paneling as is and run with it, I actually used some of your ideas in the other rooms of our 1961 mid-century ranch home in San Diego. It's coming along lovely! All those tips and cool mid-century designs on DOD have really inspired us. I'll post some pics when I am finished with the den as it's the last room. My partner and I think you are great and you are my design idol.
Sincerely,
Jason

[guerre75]

Hey Kristan, how are you doing?
I came across your website and this message board, and couldn't wait to register so I write and say hello! I'm a 31 year-old guy living down here near Atlanta, GA (has your team ever done a show in GA? Hmm - not that I can recall...) and I have been a huge fan of Design on a Dime for years now. I have always told everyone I know that if I could pick one show to be featured on TV, it would be DOD with your team, no doubt about it. Needless to say I have never missed an episode, and look forward to all the new ones that come along.
Anyways (before I ramble on too much and put everyone to sleep!) - you and Dave are two of the greatest people to watch on Television - definately among the most talented and charismatic people I've seen. However, I must admit (however odd it may sound) that Spencer Anderson is by far the coolest person to ever be featured on network TV
Whenever my friends call me each day, the first question is generally, "So what did Spencer build on TV today?" ... which then leads into a long discussion of how I wish I could build things too - I'd be happy if I could just put a nail in a wall without messing it up! But I guess I should just take it one step at a time